Happy Birthday C. Bechstein Digital Grand! A year ago we introduced our first grand piano - Digital Grand. The library served as background information on the quality and richness of the sound in detail. In addition to overall performance improvements, the update also provides a number of innovations and optimizations. Thus, the resonance of the strings has been expanded, and the threshold value of the continuously working MIDI sustain pedals can now be set individually. In addition, new snapshots are provided and for the first time multi-instruments are used, in which several microphone signals are aligned in phase and can be mixed by the user at will.
C. Bechstein Digital Grand was designed to meet the highest expectations of composers and musicians, as well as comprehensive requirements in daily recording practice at the highest level. This applies to both sound aspects and usability, which is always intuitive. All the controls are constantly improved by our developers and are widely tested in the DAW environment of plug-ins, as well as on virtuoso live performances in different genres.
The same sound: The Acoustic prototype Digital Grand is a carefully selected concert grand piano C. Bechstein D 282. Due to its ability to highlight and emphasize even the finest melodic lines and thanks to the unsurpassed wealth of tone colors, the D 282 belongs to the best modern concert grand pianos in the world. Playing C. Bechstein, you can freely accent a certain voice, emphasize a certain melody or a certain chord and, thus, make your interpretation more vibrant and bright. C. Bechstein Digital Grand correspond to the highest standards that we set for the development of our acoustic instrument: sound and production at the highest level, made for connoisseurs and people with passion.
Great attention to detail: Out of about 2 terabytes of recorded material, more than 10,000 carefully selected zones were allocated! Both software developers and pianists worked hand in hand to create a wide variety of presets for the Digital Grand and provide an impressive range and natural sound with every sound setting. To this end, the controllers of the innovative graphic interface have been programmed in such a way that possible sound modulations are always compared with the original unique character of the concert grand piano C. Bechstein.
Innovative sound formation: In an acoustic instrument, certain areas sound warmer, more "shocked", lively or restrained. In C. Bechstein Digital Grand, the innovative control interface, containing 4 basic parameters, provides a comprehensive sound setting for each individual note (!). More than 1200 parameters simultaneously control the sound when playing. At the same time, each controller remains intuitive and controllable - and it offers both beginners and experienced sound engineers unlimited possibilities!
Premiere in KONTAKT instruments: M / S sound design: Experience real Mid- / Side editing for the first time in the KONTAKT tool! C. Bechstein Digital Grand offers a designer way to capture acoustic instruments and allows you to individually monitor each channel inside the plug-in, its volume, compression and EQ. The M / S signal is detailed, accenting every single note in the entire dynamic range - we are sure that you will like it!

New:
Fixed:
The automation in ABLETON LIVE no longer regulates all parameters simultaneously (referred to host automation ID #511).
The parameter CHARACTER is now displayed consistently with the graphical user interface in the displays for the Native Instruments KOMPLETE keyboards.
An error which hindered that the pedal functions “Sustain volume” and “Una corda intensity” could not be automated with individual controller numbers was rectified.
When playing with sympathetic overtones turned ON, some voices were not like the acoustic role model – this was rectified and the behaviour optimised (see below).
News and optimisation:
Several features were optimised, considerably reducing the number of voices actually required (polyphony). This means that the DIGITAL GRAND now runs on several computers without disturbing dropouts and with a lower CPU load.
A new snapshot, START HERE, which includes several resource saving basic settings, was added.
The pre-set maximum number of voices available was reduced, taking several PC systems into account. You can easily adjust this setting to the actual performance capability of your PC yourself (see Digital Grand manual page 24).
The volume of the key noises, dampers and pedals was slightly reduced in all snapshots.
The keyboard range which generates sympathetic overtones when playing was extended.
The threshold value for sustain pedals which can provide continuous data (“half pedal”) on CC#64 can now be adapted using a slider.
The threshold value described above is now set more tolerant, enabling the foot to rest lightly on the pedal whilst playing without increasing the voice burden.
A multi (Power Piano.nkm) was added, which demonstrates the options of the combination of all three microphone signals – Player, Side and Top. Moreover, snapshots with sensible presets for such tonal layers were stored in the Snapshots’ “Utilities” folder.
The manual was updated and also incorporates an installation description of the new Native Instruments “Native Access” tool.
The manual is now incorporated into the (.ISO) download and no longer needs to be loaded separately.